Gillingham is set to travel to Wales for their Carabao Cup first-round match against Championship side Swansea City. The draw took place on Thursday morning.
The fixture at the Swansea.com Stadium is scheduled for the week commencing August 12, just days after Gillingham’s League 2 season opener against Carlisle United at Priestfield on Saturday, August 10.
Gillingham last faced Swansea in January 2019, suffering a 4-1 defeat in the FA Cup after defeating Cardiff City in the previous round.
Thirty-two clubs participated in the unseeded southern section draw, with the competition being regionalized until the third round. Luton and Burnley will join in the second round, alongside 13 Premier League clubs not involved in European competitions. The likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Manchester United will enter from the third round.
The Carabao Cup has brought notable moments for Gillingham against higher-ranked teams in recent seasons. Last season, they reached the second round, narrowly losing 3-2 to Premier League side Luton Town after a 3-1 home victory over Southampton in the first round.
In previous years, Gillingham had memorable encounters, including a penalty shootout win at Brentford and a third-round match at Wolves. During the 2020 Covid season, they played Stoke City in the second round, following a penalty shootout win over Coventry City in the first round.
All Carabao Cup games will be available to watch live on Sky Sports +, following their new deal with the EFL.